In a move reflecting growing investment in people-centred development and grassroots healthcare delivery, the Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District, Senator Kelvin Chukwu, has organised a two-day free medical outreach targeting over 600 indigent residents across the zone.
The outreach benefitted residents from Enugu East, Enugu North, Enugu South, Isi-Uzo, Nkanu East, and Nkanu West Local Government Areas. The programme was held at Group School, Agbani, along Ugbawka Road, drawing participants from different communities across the senatorial district.
Speaking at the event, Senator Kelvin Chukwu, who was represented by his Chief of Staff and Senior Legislative Aide, Honourable Victor Eneh, said the outreach was designed to improve access to healthcare for vulnerable residents.
“Today we are here for a free medical outreach, a medical program packaged by the senator to ensure that the health welfare of the people of the area especially those of the senatorial zone.
“Here is Agbani, which is the headquarters of the senatorial zone. So people came from different villages, different local government to come and attend to today’s event.
“They are getting tested, treatments and drugs. The Doctors and physicians are just attending to them.”
He noted that the initiative aligns with the senator’s “Putting the People First” philosophy, especially in supporting elderly citizens and low-income residents who struggle to afford medical services.
“The Senator because his slogan is ‘putting the people first’, he understands that there are some persons in his constituency, especially the elderly ones and the poor who don’t have money to access hospitals for medical care, so he did this programme so that this people can now have access to free medical treatment and attention.”
On sustainability, he assured that the programme would continue beyond the current tenure.
“We will ensure that within the period he is in senate and after that, that programs like this continues every quarter.
“Other person’s in other constituencies and areas should just emulate him in the free medical outreach so that people who don’t have access to health facilities because of the cost can be able to get it free.”
He also advised beneficiaries to properly utilise the drugs and medical advice received, adding that the programme demonstrates responsive representation.
“To the beneficiaries, whoever that has gotten any drugs, treatment and advice should endeavour to make use of it and God will also heal the person. And it’s also an opportunity for them to know that the senator they elected in 2023 understands their plight and is working hard to ensure he touches their lives.”
The Team Lead of the medical doctors, Dr. Ogbu Olisaemeka, highlighted the scope of services provided during the outreach.
“Health is wealth and we rendered so many services including services such as HIV, Hepatitis B&C, random blood sugar tests, we enrolled those that were tested positive, we also got incidental findings of hypertension and diabetes, and we provided drugs for them, eye treatments, as well as sharing of mosquito treated nets.
“The people are very happy with what the senator did.”
Also speaking, the organiser of the event, COE Famzy, Famzy Nigeria Limited, Chukwu Afamefuna Cajetan, said the outreach was already meeting its target of over 600 beneficiaries.
“We are targeting over 600 people in that exercise, and so far so good we are really making out in the number.
“This activity happening today is a very good one because many of the Indegines in Enugu East Senatorial district cannot even afford to go to the hospital, so it is a very wise decision by the senator who thought to bring treatment down to the people of Enugu East Senatorial district.
“As you can see, there are many doctors here from different field of medical. It’s a whole lined up activities, and we pray for God to enlarge him, as he has remembered the poor masses, may God keep guiding and protecting him, and may God keep granting him the wisdom.”
Beneficiaries also expressed appreciation for the initiative.
Ogbu Ikenna from Mbogodo village in Agbani said:
“I benefitted from the free medical service, I have taken some tests here, the hepatitis, BP, HIV, and a whole lot more. For us to quantify the services we received here today, it’s something that worth commending the distinguished senator for.
“And I pray that he succeed in all his aspirations and the effective representation which he displays by this gesture he has given to his constituency, that such a thing should continue.”
Florence Chukwudi from Ogbeke village in Agbani added:
“Today I’m happy I received my medical service from the senator. My eyes, BP and sugar level were checked.
“I’m happy because God used the senator to deliver us today, because many have lost hope.
“It’s only God that will pay him back because even if I give him elephant its not enough.”
Similarly, the Coordinator of Umuada Senator Kelvin Chukwu, Lolo Bank Anike, said the outreach helped detect a previously unknown health condition.
“I received a lot of services, they checked my BP, Sugar, HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis.
“I feel good because I don’t know I have BP until now, and they said it’s high, they made sure I got treatment.
“Senator is doing a good work in this Senatorial zone, he is representing us well, since 1999 we have never tested dividends of democracy the way we are seeing it now.
“We have benefitted from the health sector, woman empowerment, even Agricultural empowerment. He is doing a lot of work in this our zone.
“My message to him is that he will be moving from glory to glory and will serve second term.”
The medical outreach covered services including malaria screening, tuberculosis checks, HIV testing, blood pressure monitoring, blood sugar tests, chest X-ray services, and health sensitisation on tuberculosis, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS, among other health conditions — reinforcing the growing role of constituency-driven interventions in improving public health outcomes in Enugu State.
